December 3rd, 2016

I've been feeling the Yuletide spirit pretty hard after Thanksgiving; my family went and picked out a Christmas tree, and ever since I've been listening to carols and drinking peppermint hot chocolate. I also got the little Yule tree in my dorm all set up.

Then on Thursday, I received a package from my mom with some more holiday goodies in it, including this little guy:

It's an ornament, but it's a bird wearing a hat! I love it so much, it's adorable!

I didn't have time to put up my larger Yule tree while I was home for Thanksgiving, so I'll have to do that when I get back for winter break in a week and a half. Let me just say - I am ready for this semester to be over with.

I also had Habitat for Humanity's home dedication ceremony to attend this morning. It was a really nice little event, and I'm so happy for the new homeowners. In the midst of all the hardships in the world right now, it was great to be a part of such a meaningful thing in the community. The home is so crucial to any family, and getting to help build the place and then turn it over to the people who will live their lives there is an incredible privilege.

It's been an emotional week for a lot of reasons, but it's these moments that really make it worth it. Blessings to all as we go ever deeper into the dark and rest of winter. May this time of introspection and reflection bring healing and wisdom.

November 23rd, 2016

Happy Day-Before-Thanksgiving to those of you reading in America. I got home from school last night, and it's smelled like apple pie here all day long - I'm really hungry now!

I also wanted to share these cool new crystals my grandma gave me.

This one's a Selenite tower; I have a pair of them now, but the other is at school.

And then this is a massive Rose Quartz generator point - it's literally the size of my hand! I think I'm in love.

I hope you all have a good week and enjoy the festivities. Things have been hard for a lot of people lately, but maybe a little food and thankfulness will go towards some sort of resolution. And if you're out there knowing you have to spend the holidays with prejudiced, bigoted people, then know that I am sorry, and I hope things get better soon.

September 21st, 2013

Tomorrow is Mabon, in all technicality, but I did my ceremony today because tomorrow is going to be crazy-busy. Mabon is my favorite Sabbat, contested only by Samhain. I always feel super balanced and grounded after going through the ritual.

The* next thing on tonight's agenda is to sit in meditation for a while on the meaning of the Sabbat. Originally, Mabon was celebrated as the second harvest of the year. In today's day and age, most of us haven't the foggiest idea where our food even comes from, let alone when it was harvested. Thus, Mabon has become more about the things we reap and sow in our own lives. Celebrating the gifts of the table can yet make for a really fulfilling ritual - sometimes referred to as the Witches' Thanksgiving, Mabon is still definitely about the food - but you may also choose to meditate on what you've accomplished since last year's Sabbat, and concentrate on what seeds you'd like to "sow" for the coming year. If you have physical seeds to represent your own wishes, so much the better! Above all, make sure your activities mean something to you - a ritual can be beautiful in its poetry and imagery, but if it doesn't strike a spiritual chord then what, really, is the point?

*I feel I ought to mention that the lines in the above picture (just found on google images) are actually copyrighted to, I believe, Silver Ravenwolf. Why do I know that? Because they're actually in the ritual I did not two hours ago. I can't speak for the rest of the image.

December 22nd, 2012

Well, I'm happy to say that yesterday was not the end of the world, and I'm still here. I'm celebrating Yule officially today, since I had my last day of school before break yesterday, and then we spent the whole evening making cookies. After going to my grandparents' house for Thanksgiving, they're coming here for Christmas on Monday; I'm really excited to get to see them again! I've been working on designing some awesome potpourri sachets to give them as gifts, which I'll likely bless and empower in my Yule ritual today.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hummingbird's Winter Potpourri

Supplies:

• Dried and shredded orange peel
• Dried mint 
• Dried pine needles
• Cheesecloth
• Ribbon

Instructions:
In Circle, mix an approximately equal amount of the orange peel, mint, and needles together in a bowl. Ritually sprinkle with a few drops of salt water (holy water) and empower for abundance and happiness (orange), health and prosperity (mint), and success and new beginnings (pine). Then take a square of cheesecloth and put about a tablespoon of the mixture in the center. Tie tightly with the ribbon. If the potpourri is then to be given as a gift, visualize it filling with pure white light and recite a gift blessing, such as this one*:

"Perfect love and perfect peace,

The world will dance as one.

I dream the wish to make it real,

The magick now is done."

Close Circle.

*From Silver Ravenwolf's Solitary Witch. Don't freak out at me if you don't like her writing, just make up your own gift blessing.

November 20th, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving! It's on Thursday, folks. And tomorrow, my family and I are going out-of-town to spend the rest of the week with my grandparents. It often seems cliché to write about what we are thankful for; at this time of year, who isn't? But by that same token, it becomes such a rote chore to people that that they don't even think about it. People end up saying the same things over and over again - "my family, my friends, the house, our food..." - so I have decided to create a list of what I really thank the Lord and Lady for, to remind myself why we celebrate.
I am thankful for:

• Parents who support me in everything that I do.
• Siblings who, for the most part, are loving, kind, smart, and fun to be around.
• A pet cockatiel who is the sweetest little thing ever, and my brother's leopard gecko, who is hilarious.
• Great grades in school.
• A part in our spring musical, Les Miserables.
• My part in the fall play (which just passed), Break a Leg.
• All of the volunteering I've been able to do.
• My job at the library.
• My health, which has been pretty good for the most part.
• My mom's health, after getting several surgeries.
• My bedroom, with all of its awesomeness.
• My best friends, who are always there for me, whether I need a hug or someone to crack jokes with.
• My extended family, who stay in contact with me in spite of living far away.

Bright blessings to everyone in this week of thanks!